Television star Criss Angel is now hitting prime time with Phenomenon — a competition to find the next great mentalist, airing Wednesdays on NBC — but it’s his magical spell over the ladies that always has people talking.

“Criss is an astonishing performer, but besides that, he’s a huge celebrity,” Uri Geller, the Randy Jackson to Angel’s Simon Cowell on the show, tells OK!. “I don’t think there is anyone in America who doesn’t know who Criss Angel is. I’ve asked people in the mall about Criss Angel — the girls are in love with him. He’s a huge star, especially if he gets involved with Britney Spears and Cameron Diaz and all that.”

But Uri says it’s the gig itself that holds the magical powers. “People who are mystifiers have a sexual energy that I believe overpowers other professions,” he says. “There is a mystique, the mysteriousness about them that women are drawn to. I mean look at all the big magicians like David Blaine, Criss Angel, David Copperfield — women are attracted to mysticism.”

Criss agrees and he’s even here to help you out. “I’ve always said that every single person should know one great joke and one great effect, so much so that I put out DVDs called the Master Mindfreak series that teach people how to do illusions with household items,” Criss tells OK!. “It’s something that breaks the ice. Even if you don’t speak the language, it’s a universal language — the language of visualization.”

With Carmen Electra and Rachel Hunter on the first episode of Phenomenon airing this week, it’s safe to say Criss will make new friends pretty quickly.